PolyOne to add five additive lines in Europe

PolyOne Corp. (Cleveland, OH) invested in five new color and additives production lines in Europe to support the rising number of specialty products developed for key markets, including packaging, healthcare, and transportation. To be delivered within the next few months, the lines will be installed in Cergy, France; Assesse, Belgium; Tossiat, France; and Györ, Hungary, with two destined for Tossiat. At that site, in addition to a production line, PolyOne will install specialized lab to support further product development.

In a release, Christoph Palm, general manager of Color and Additives, Europe said the new lines will supports its OnCap specialty additives range for biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP), biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BOPET), and biaxially oriented polyamide (BOPA) produced in Cergy (France). The equipment will also provide production of PolyOne’s OnColor color concentrates that see use in flexible and rigid packaging, healthcare, transportation, and industrial applications, with production in Belgium, France, and Hungary.

PolyOne’s European regional headquarters, as well as a design center, are located in Assesse, with a second design center in Cergy. On August 6, in its second-quarter earnings statement, PolyOne announced revenues of $496.5 million: a 34% decrease compared with revenues of $748.1 million in the second quarter of 2008. The company attributed the decline in large part to continued weak global demand, noting that volume fell 30%. In a release, Stephen D. Newlin, chairman, president, and CEO at PolyOne said, “We are encouraged by the accelerated activity in Asia, and modest increases in sales in Europe and North America from the first quarter to the second. That being said, demand levels are still significantly below historic norms and this may continue for some time.” —[email protected]